First held in 2017, the Indonesia Development Forum (IDF) is an international conference hosted by Bappenas. IDF provides a platform for development practitioners in the public, private, and non-profit sectors to meet and exchange ideas. Presentations from experts and practitioners highlight research, insights, smart practices and lessons learned, from the grassroots to the national level, as well as international experiences relevant to the Indonesian context. Through interactive sessions, the forum promotes new thinking and approaches to addressing Indonesia’s key development challenges.
IDF aims to:
The development of industries is key to a country’s economic development. Not only is it important for adding value to commodities or exacerbating job creation, but also because it helps push socio-economic changes that could contribute to improving the population’s living standards. These factors are part of Indonesia’s development plans, where it is believed that significant achievements towards industrial growth would help determine Indonesia’s development trajectory in the future.
However, Indonesia is facing considerable challenges that are seriously affecting its industrial development plans. For example, in the last two decades, the industrial sector’s productivity and growth rates have stagnated. The participation of Indonesian industries in the export market and the global production network is lower compared to industries from other countries. For the mid-term, the biggest challenge is to push its industrial growth in the midst of a currently fragile global economic condition. While this challenge can affect the industrial sector’s ability to expand its reach and expand the size of its workforce, it can also provide opportunities to bolster sections of the industry, such as the diversification of goods and better natural resource management. These strategies are key towards improving Indonesia’s competitiveness in the global market.
To improve industrial development, Indonesia must reframe its industrial policy strategies and evaluate the effectiveness of currently active policies. Future industrialization strategies must address comparative advantage challenges such as natural resource management, job creation and the adoption of innovative technological solutions. Doing so would help facilitate the growth of leading industrial sectors so that they could help drive economic growth.
The COVID-19 pandemic does not only affect public, business and government activities but also considerably impacts the industrial sector through problems such as the disruption of supply chains, lower job creation and lower utilization. Indonesia needs to sharpen its industrialization strategies to address these issues effectively and creatively, especially considering that the pandemic has helped push the pace of innovation faster in terms of medical advances, digitalization efforts, shifting patterns in global supply networks, increased internet usage, and the development of digital software related to productivity, medicine and education. Future industrialization strategies are expected to help the industrial sector adapt to the pace, taking advantage of opportunities to grow and innovate during the COVID-19 pandemic while also strengthening its socio-economic efforts.
The challenges facing industrial development in Indonesia, and its prospects, will be the focus point of IDF 2021 discussions. By actively involving experts and figures from the development sector, the government, businesses and the public, IDF 2021 aims to encourage the creation of ideas and constructive discussions that can help improve industrial policy planning which could assist Indonesia’s economic growth post-COVID-19 and trigger structural transformation, resulting in policies that are fair, inclusive and sustainable.
This effort is in line with Indonesia’s commitment towards fulfilling the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), primarily regarding the driving of inclusive and sustainable economic growth, improving workforce productivity and job creation, building a strong infrastructure, maintaining a sustainable and inclusive industrial sector, and encouraging technological innovation, among others. Attention is also being given towards providing adequate business opportunities and ample employment options for those in the lower income bracket.
IDF’s structure is made up of four phases: Inspire, Imagine, Innovate and Initiate. The first three phases are discussion programs that will be divided into separate daily events. The results of these discussions will be translated during the Initiate phase and will be presented as recommendations, policy plans and various other initiatives by IDF 2021’s participating parties.
The Inspire sessions will primarily focus on discussing the best industrial practices from Indonesia and from other countries. The aim of these sessions is to highlight various approaches towards development challenges that are currently active and are proven to be effective. Sources from various areas of Indonesia and the world will display examples of effective practices based on research and evidence.
The Imagine sessions will encourage participants to imagine a more inclusive, progressive and sustainable future for Indonesia. The sessions’ speakers will encourage participants to envision how Indonesia can advance towards a better future and discuss possible policy ideas that are required to achieve this vision.
The Innovate sessions will show various recommendations and solutions to tackle Indonesia’s developmental challenges. Sources from both the central and regional governments, grassroots and civil organizations, development partners and the private sector will explain various approaches, services and technologies that they have come up with to fulfill developmental needs and tackle the challenges more effectively.
The Initiate sessions will see all the policy makers and industry figures convey their action plans based on the discussions undertaken at the forum. Which suggestions and recommendations could be used by policymakers to help construct national and regional development plans? Which ideas can be replicated and/or improved upon? And how can the policymakers continue to forge partnerships to fulfill these commitments?
Interesting Keynote Speakers
IDF wishes to accommodate its speakers by creating an interactive, engaging environment for them to present their ideas in a comfortable manner. Using a presentation style similar to TEDTalks, the presenting experts and practitioners will convey their ideas and encourage discussion across two days.
Parallel Interactive Sessions
IDF encourages constructive discussions between attendees, as we recognize that both the attendees and the event speakers hold great ideas and valuable experience that can be shared with one another. In these sessions, all the facilitators will use various techniques to drive discussion in the room, akin to fishbowl, world café, scenario-thinking and future search methods. This year, the parallel interactive sessions will be done through a hybrid method.
Ideas & Digital Innovations Market
The Ideas & Digital Innovations Market will provide a platform for participants to exchange ideas regarding potential new solutions to tackle developmental challenges – innovative technologies, fresh approaches or new forms of services – and identify collaboration opportunities. The presenters will present short presentations and answer questions from attendees. The Ideas & Digital Innovations Market will also be done through a hybrid method for IDF 2021.
Graphic Recording
Graphic Recording during plenary and parallel events will be used to record ideas made by attendees and participants as the events are running. Key terms, phrases, images and symbols will create a visual representation of the various themes and perspectives that appear during discussions. This service provides important visual points from each of the events throughout IDF 2021 to present the ideas to the audience in a more comprehensive fashion.
Website https://www.indonesiadevelopmentforum.com
Twitter @IDDevForum
Instagram @iddevforum
Facebook @iddevforum
Email idf@bappenas.go.id